Five damn good reasons to see a Sounders FC match in 2012 *LIVE*

Experience the newest Seattle sports tradition

Seattle’s streets fill with green 20+ times each year. Dissolving into a sea of green as I walk through Pioneer Square to CenturyLink, easily one of my favorite Soundersexperiences.

For a moment, everyone belongs to a throng of 38,000+ drifting towards the stadium to collectively urge their starting 11 to victory.

If you haven’t been to a match you need to come…. Seriously!

Even if you aren’t a soccer fan.

Here’s my top five Damn Good Reasons why.

Reason 1: The March to the Match

The March to the Match is a unique sporting experience in Seattle—and the whole U.S. for that matter. This is a must for 1st time Sounders fans.

All you have to do is leave the pub early enough to get to Occidental Park in Pioneer Square 60 minutes before kickoff. You’ll enjoy a short rally, sometimes led by Drew Carey, and some music from the Sounders own marching band.

Then, you’ll push off with hundreds of others to travel the 3 blocks to CenturyLink Field.

Don’t worry. You won’t walk in silence. Seattle’s own supporters club, the Emerald City Supporters, leads the entire bunch in songs, chants, and cheers all the way to the pitch.

Can you feel your adrenaline pumping yet?

Reason 2: Crowd participation

Little do most people know when they come to their first match, they won’t just be spectators.

It all starts with the “BOOM” of the drums from the Emerald City Supporters section. The entire stadium gets on their feet and raises their hand to the sky to greet the teams with the “BOOM” “BOOM” “CLAP” as they come out of the tunnel.

With each moment the cheer grows quicker and quicker until it transitions into a reverberating cheer of “Sounders” “Sounders” “Sounders.”

Over, and over, and over.

Throughout the rest of the game the ECS will lead the stadium through songs, chants for players to applaud their efforts, and an amazing echoing call and response of “Seattle” “Sounders” at least twice a match.

Reason 3: Nonstop action

This isn’t a baseball or football game. Play doesn’t stop unless the ball goes out of bounds or the halftime whistle blows.

“Sounders” “Sounders” “Sounders.” Over, and over, and over.

Even if you’re a soccer novice, this is impressive from an athletic standpoint.

Nonstop action also breeds excitement. At any moment a team can surge forward, or lose momentum.

There’s no way to stop and regroup.

The team has to think on its toes as a unit.

Reason 4: The euphoria of a goal

Watching a match is the roller coaster. At one moment your team can seem like they can’t defend to save their lives. A few seconds later they can be surging towards the opponents goal on a lightning counter attack.

Your emotions wil be on full alert the entire match.

By far the best of these emotions is when a Sounder score a goal.

At that moment all of the buildup you felt for the 20, 45, even 70 minutes leading up to the moment the ball crossed the line are released. You’ll find yourself high fiving everyone around you, even if you’ve never met them in your life.

It’s as if a presure release valve is released and instead of producing steam, it produces a spontaneous expression of joy felt in unison by the entire crowd.

Reason 5: Experience the beautiful game

General Manager Adrian Hanauer and Technical Director Chris Henderson decided 4 years ago to build a team that was exciting.

I applaud them.

Because of their efforts you can come see a slew of technically savvy Latin Americans do beautiful things with a soccer ball.